


The Plan for Healthy Eating in the Stilinski-Hale Household

by inhystereks



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek, Alpha Derek Hale, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, But Only a Little Bit - Freeform, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Established Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Established Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Good Parent Derek Hale, Good Parent Stiles Stilinski, M/M, Married Life, Parent-Child Relationship, Sheriff Stilinski's Name is John, Stilinski Family Feels, healthy eating, there's a little bit of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-26
Updated: 2017-08-26
Packaged: 2018-12-20 03:15:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11912058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inhystereks/pseuds/inhystereks
Summary: Melanie burst into tears, screaming about how she didn’t want their daddy to die while Greg tried to comfort her, sending his own anxious glances Stiles’ way. Elena grilled Addie and Clary about whether they knew for sure. The twins started listing examples from their textbook. Ian turned to Derek asking if food could really hurt humans while Kevin turned to Stiles and begged him not to kill himself by eating too many curly fries.





	The Plan for Healthy Eating in the Stilinski-Hale Household

**Author's Note:**

> Shoutout to [jadorehale](http://jadorehale.tumblr.com/) for graciously betaing my work. Check out her loveliness on tumblr.

It had been a long day. Stiles didn't usually have to leave home for work, but this particular company had insisted that he be present in person to see all the new computer installations. He'd thought it was completely unnecessary, but he now got where the manager was coming from, because a lot of their tech guys were idiots who would have completely fucked up. 

But whatever. Now he was finally home and he could spend the rest of the night with his beautiful kids and gorgeous husband. 

He walked into chaos. He could hear Greg and Ian arguing over the remote in the living room. Melanie was screaming about a doll upstairs and the sound of Kevin’s cackling was coming from the same direction. Elena was lounging on the stairs reading a book. He could faintly hear music and thumps coming from the basement which meant the twins were probably playing DDR. Stiles grinned.

Home sweet home.

He would never regret his and Derek’s decision to take in kids from Packs that had been destroyed or disbanded. It had given them their amazing family.

“Kevin, give Melanie back her doll! Elena, get off the stairs before someone trips over you and breaks their neck. We have window seats all over the place. Greg, Ian, stop arguing and just rock, paper, scissors for the remote.” He walked over to the basement door and opened it. “Turn down the music before you rupture your eardrums!”

He walked back to the front door, took off his bag and jacket, and tossed his keys into the bowl. He sauntered over to Elena, who hadn't moved an inch, and picked her up.

“Dad,” she whined, “I just got comfortable.” 

“Sitting on the stairs isn't comfortable, you little weirdo.” He dropped a kiss on her head to soften his words and deposited her on one of the many window seats they had scattered around the house. “Where's your papa?” 

“Office,” Elena said absently, her attention already back on her book. He pressed another noisy kiss to her cheek just to hear the disgruntled sound she made, before making his way to the office. Derek was probably working.

Opening the door and poking his head in, he found his husband at one of the desks frowning down at a book. Derek's nostrils flared before he looked up with a smile. 

“Stiles,” he said, standing. Stiles walked in, shutting the door behind him.

“Hello, husband-mine,” he said. Derek rolled his eyes, but he pulled Stiles in for a kiss right after, so Stiles didn't take offense in the slightest. “The kids are running rampant,” Stiles muttered. 

“Are they?” Derek asked, backing Stiles into the door.

“Mm-hmm,” Stiles hummed. His mouth was quickly preoccupied with activities besides speaking. He pulled Derek closer and rolled his hips, loving the way Derek groaned into his mouth. The kids had been pretty engaged in their various amusements. Stiles wondered if they could get away with…

They were interrupted by someone trying to open the door. Through the crack, Ian said, “Dad, Papa, you need to stop making out and come out here.”

They pulled apart. “Later,” Stiles mouthed. They opened the door to look at Ian.

“What makes you think we were making out?” Stiles asked.

Ian rolled his eyes. “You two are always making out.”

Stiles grinned. “Okay, what's so important?” 

“I'm hungry,” Ian said, clearly exasperated. “I want a Happy Meal.”

“And why should you get a Happy Meal when I didn't get my happy ending?” Stiles asked

Derek choked. Ian wrinkled his nose. “ I don't know what that means, but I know you probably weren't supposed to say it in front of me. And you're supposed to feed me because you're my dad and it's your job to make sure I have proper sustenance,” Ian sniffed haughtily.

Stiles forced himself not to laugh, though he knew perfectly well the kid could scent his amusement. “Nice vocab word. But we should probably ask everyone else whether they want to eat in or out tonight.”

Ian let his head fall back and released the groan of someone forced to have infinite patience while surrounded by idiots.

“We know,” Derek said sympathetically, while herding Stiles and their son out of the office, “It’s so annoying to have to ask for other people's opinions when yours are always the best.”

“Exactly!” Ian said.

Derek and Stiles shared a grin. They made it to the kitchen and Stiles yelled, “Calling all Stilinski-Hales to the kitchen! All Stilinski-Hales, come to the kitchen!” 

Derek raised an eyebrow and Stiles shrugged. He knew he didn't have to shout, but it was more fun that way. There were several pounding footsteps as Addie, Clary, Elena, Gregory, Kevin, and Melanie descended on the kitchen.

“We're trying to decide where to go to eat,” Stiles said. Immediately, everyone was shouting suggestions. Stiles held up his hands and waited for silence, prepared to offer up a crowd favorite. 

“I’m in the mood for curly fries,” Stiles said with a grin. “How about dinner at the diner tonight?”

“No!” the twins shouted. 

“Daddy, you can’t!” Addie said. 

“Please don’t, Daddy!” Clary begged.

Stiles was immediately on alert. Once they’d reached a certain age, none of his kids called him ‘Daddy’ unless they wanted something or they were upset. Derek look concerned too.

“Hey, what’s wrong? You guys love getting dinner at the diner,” Stiles said.

The twins looked at each other, then back at Stiles with tears filling their eyes.

“We don’t want you to die,” they said sadly.

“Daddy’s going to die!?!” Melanie cried fearfully.

“What are you talking about?” Elena asked as Greg hugged Melanie to his side. Kevin and Ian looked on anxiously.

“We learned in health class that foods that have a lot of salt and grease…” Addie started.

“Like burgers and curly fries and bacon and mashed potatoes with lots of butter and stuff Daddy eats all the time,” Clary added.

“Is really dangerous for humans if they eat too much of it because it can make them unhealthy and sick,” Addie said.

“And they can get diabetes and high blood pressure and heart disease and die!” Clary wailed.

Melanie burst into tears, screaming about how she didn’t want their daddy to die while Greg tried to comfort her, sending his own anxious glances Stiles’ way. Elena grilled Addie and Clary about whether they knew for sure. The twins started listing examples from their textbook. Ian turned to Derek asking if food could really hurt humans while Kevin turned to Stiles and begged him not to kill himself by eating too many curly fries.

Stiles couldn’t help but be amused. Though, it was a bit overshadowed by his suspicions about what he expected the outcome of this little outburst to be.

Ignoring Kevin’s almost hysterical rant about suicide by curly fries, Stiles turned his gaze to Derek. He was met with an expression of half amusement and half concern. Stiles smirked and raised his eyebrows. Derek nodded and let out a sharp wolf-like bark that immediately made all the kids quiet down.

“All right,” Stiles said, “Everyone into the living room so we can talk about this.”

And talk about it they did. Stiles explained that what Adara and Clarissa learned in class was true; unhealthy foods could make humans sick if they were eaten too frequently and while he did eat more than he should, he wasn’t at an age where it was really dangerous which was why he wasn’t worried about it and they shouldn’t be either.

“But prevention is better than a cure and old habits are hard to break. Isn’t that what you and Papa always say?” Elena said staunchly. “You should start eating healthy _now_ so that you’re already in the habit _before_ you’re at an age where something bad could happen.”

Stiles smiled at his most practical child. The rest of the kids shouted loud agreements.

“Would it make you all feel better if I ate healthy food more and not so much junk food?” Stiles asked.

Variations of yes met his ears. Stiles looked at Derek who tilted his head toward the children, then shrugged, indicating that he agreed with the kids, but it was Stiles’ decision how he wanted to handle this.

“Okay,” Stiles said, “But you guys have to do it with me.”

Immediately a few protests rang out. Derek cleared his throat. “I think your dad has a point. Clary, you wouldn’t like it if Addie kept eating coffee ice cream in front of you without sharing, would you? Greg, you wouldn’t like if Kevin ate all the salt and vinegar chips and wouldn’t give you any, would you?” 

They shook their heads. 

“It’s hard to stop doing something that you really like to do, but your dad said he would stop so you all wouldn’t worry. He’s just asking for your help. Will you help him?” Derek asked.

A more enthusiastic chorus of agreements was given this time.

“How about this,” Stiles said clapping his hands. “Tonight we all go out to the diner and say goodbye to our junk food days and then tomorrow we start a plan for healthy eating that we can all stick to, yeah?” After receiving nods and assents, Stiles turned his attention Melanie. “Sweetheart, I think it’s your turn to name the plan.”

After several minutes of silence as Melanie bit her lip and thought, a decision seemed to be reached. “The Plan for Healthy Eating in the Stilinski-Hale Household,” she said slowly.

Stiles grinned and opened his arms. Melanie flew into them with a happy giggle while the others applauded the new plan title. 

“That’s perfectly perfect, baby girl,” Stiles said laying a smacking kiss on her cheek, which earned him another giggle and a bright grin.

They went to the diner that night and gorged themselves. Stiles leaned against Derek, watching their kids talk and laugh and eat.

“You're being quiet tonight,” Stiles said softly.

“Thinking,” Derek said. “Savoring,” he added after a moment.

“It's not like we'll never come back to the diner,” Stiles said, “Just less often.”

Derek huffed laugh. He wondered if Stiles was really prepared to give up all his favorite foods or if he thought the kids’ concern would fade and everything would go back to normal.

“They're growing up,” he said. “They learned something new and thought about how it would affect the people in their lives. They were concerned and spoke up about it.”

Stiles looked at their oldest daughters, Adara and Clarissa, their beautiful twins. They were in high school now. Soon enough they would be off to college, and then they'd be on their own, living their own lives. They were Pack, so they would always be close and close by, but it wouldn’t be exactly the same.

“Oh,” he said, going quiet himself. After a few moments though, he looked up with that reckless grin Derek had fallen in love with and said, “Well, let's make the most of the time we have left.”

Derek couldn't help himself. He cupped Stiles’ cheek and brought their lips together. 

“We're in public, you guys,” Greg said.

Derek pulled away only to have Stiles place a noisy kiss on his cheek. “But I can't help myself. I just love your papa so much.”

“Yeah, and the whole town knows it too,” Addie scoffed.

“Good,” Stiles grinned. “Gotta keep those hoes away.”

“No slut shaming,” Derek, Addie, Clary, Greg, and Ian said. Stiles grinned even wider.

“No slut shaming,” he agreed. “Okay, so I was thinking that we should probably take this whole thing in stages. We can’t just say healthy eating. We have to know what that means for us as a family. And being healthy isn’t just about the food you eat. It’s also what you drink and about exercise and rest.”

“Ugh,” Ian said with disgust, “This is going to be a lot of work, isn’t it.”

“Oh. Do you guys not want to do it anymore?” Stiles asked.

Adara, Clarissa, Elena, and Melanie scowled. Greg, Kevin, and Ian rolled their eyes.

“We’re not just gonna let you die, Dad,” they said in unison.

Stiles sighed happily. “I love it when you guys do the creepy synchronization thing. It freaks people way the hell out.”

He chuckled at the unimpressed looks he received in response.

“But seriously, kiddos, we need to figure out how this is going to work,” Stiles said.

“Are we coming up with a plan for our plan again?” Greg asked, munching on a fry.

“Probably,” Clary said. “You know Dad loves plans.”

“Because they help us identify goals and the steps needed to reach them in a timely and organized manner,” Derek recited from memory.

“You get me so well,” Stiles sighed dreamily, staring at Derek with actual heart eyes.

“I’ve been learning you since I met you and you still manage to surprise me,” Derek said with a soft smile.

Stiles blushed. Honestly, what had he done to deserve this amazing man?

“Focus, no flirting. Focus, no flirting. Focus, no flirting,” Kevin chanted.

The kids had created their own version of the “Swiper, no swiping” catchphrase and they used it _frequently_. So much so that even the rest of the Pack had started using it. It had caught on quick. It didn’t bother Derek and Stiles at all. They thought it was hilarious. Well, Stiles thought it was hilarious. Derek was simultaneously embarrassed and pleased that they still got so wrapped up in each other.

“Okay, we’re going for a healthy _lifestyle_. What would that include?” Stiles asked.

They discussed what a healthy lifestyle would mean and how to achieve that, what changes would need to be made, what order those changes would be made in. Addie and Clary insisted on coming up with a list of foods Stiles couldn’t eat _immediately_. Stiles shook his head ruefully, but complied nonetheless. By the time they were done with dessert, they’d worked out who was going to research what and when they would talk about it next.

Of course, Stiles already knew a lot of the information from trying to help his dad, and Derek knew too, by proxy. But they wanted their kids to get good at searching for information on their own. Stiles was satisfied with what they’d all come up with by the time they got home.

The next day, Derek headed over to the police station. He went directly to the Sheriff’s office to deliver his Stiles-approved lunch. Derek dropped the salad on his desk, picking up the paper bag with a burger and fries that was already sitting there. 

“Stiles asked me to drop this off for you. He seemed to think you wouldn’t have anything else to eat.”

The Sheriff sighed. He was a grown man. He’d been a grown man for years. He knew how to eat dammit and he didn’t need his meddling son trying to control his meals.

He glanced at Derek and then did a double take at the expression on his face.

“You seem very smug and amused,” he said suspiciously.

Derek’s smirk grew wider. “You’ll be very smug and amused too when I tell you what the twins learned in health class.”

John blinked at him, an inkling of an idea appearing in the back of his mind. “What did they learn?” he asked slowly.

“They learned how fatty foods that are high in sugar and salt can cause health problems and even death. They were very concerned about their dad and his constant consumption of curly fries. We had to have a family meeting about it.”

John started to smile, the beginnings of glee filtering through his expression. “And what was the outcome of this family meeting?”

“Well,” Derek drawled, “The whole family will be eating healthier from now on, but Stiles specifically is no longer allowed to eat meat lover’s pizza, or bacon cheeseburgers or, among other things,” he paused and grinned at John, “Curly fries.”

It was a small huff of laughter at first, but very quickly it grew into a full blown cackle. John laughed until he cried.

“Perfect,” he gasped, “Just perfect.”

Derek chuckled. “I thought you would enjoy that.”

“And you thought right,” John said. “I can’t believe he’s finally getting a taste of his own medicine. I can’t believe I never thought of this.” He looked up at Derek. “How does he seem? Already pining after curly fries?”

Derek tilted his head consideringly. “Actually, he seems totally fine with it,” he said. “He doesn’t seem upset at all. I think it hasn’t quite hit him yet what exactly he’s agreed to.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” John said. “I was going to invite myself over, but I think I’ll wait a week or so, so he can really feel it. Those kids are as stubborn as you both combined. No way he’s getting out of this.”

Derek shook his head with a low laugh. The Sheriff looked like he was only moments away from rubbing his hands together and cackling like a villain from a cartoon.

“Should I let him know to expect you?” Derek asked.

John shrugged. “Either way, he’ll pretend he’s okay with it until he’s ready to admit how much he hates it.”

“And I’m guessing you’ll be the one to help him get ready,” Derek said dryly.

“What kind of father would I be if I didn’t help my son?” John smirked.

Derek laughed. “All right. I have to go. Enjoy your salad.”

“I will _relish_ this salad, now that I know Stiles is gonna have to eat his own piece of humble pie very soon,” John chuckled.

-

About two weeks passed. Derek watched Stiles carefully, but Stiles didn’t seem to be starting to crack. He took every suggestion and restriction with an indulgent smile. They both worked with the kids, gathering research, implementing changes. Even when Derek nudged the kids in more extreme directions than they might have otherwise taken, Stiles reacted to everything with great aplomb. Derek finally decided to approach Stiles about it.

Stiles was making dinner in the kitchen, a rare day when none of the kids could help. He glanced up from the stove when Derek walked in and heaved a relieved sigh.

“Oh, good, you’re ready to talk about it,” he said.

That gave Derek pause. “Talk about…”

“Whatever has had you watching me for the past two weeks,” Stiles said. He fixed Derek with a stern look. “Since we decided on the plan for healthy eating. I hope you’re not spying to make sure I don’t eat anything unapproved.”

Derek shrugged. “I’m not trying to catch you in the act or something like that. I just… You didn’t seem upset about having to give up your favorite foods. And I was waiting for you to get upset once it hit you, and it just hasn’t happened.”

Stiles’ eyes widened in understanding, and he laughed. “Oh, I’m not upset. I’m not going to get upset either.” 

Derek could tell from his heartbeat that Stiles was telling the truth. He really wasn’t mad at the kids or at the situation or anything.

“You’re really okay with this,” Derek said, “You’re not upset and you’re not trying to get away with anything under the radar.”

Stiles raised an eyebrow. “Should I be?”

“No, it’s just… You like having access to your favorite things. And you’re sneaky. You like to sneak. I just expected you to, you know, be sneaking. Or at least trying to sneak.” Derek frowned at his own word choice.

“You wanna say ‘sneak’ one more time so it sounds like even less of a word?” Stiles asked, grinning.

Derek scowled at him. “Stiles, seriously. Why are you so cool with this? You love curly fries more than you love me.”

Stiles turned the stove on low and faced Derek. “First of all, that’s not true.”

Derek shrugged. “They’re pretty high up there.”

“Not higher than you. Second of all…” Stiles sighed and stepped closer. 

Derek drew Stiles into his arms. 

Once settled in Derek's warm embrace, Stiles continued. “I remember what it’s like. I remember coming home late and seeing my dad passed out on the couch with a box of extra bacon meat lover’s pizza on the coffee table and wondering if it would be a heart attack that got him instead of a bullet. I remember hearing a doctor say ‘if things don’t change, your dad might not live much longer.’ I remember realizing that something as simple as food could take away the only parent I had left. I still feel that way sometimes because my dad still refuses to listen to me and tries to sneak food if I don’t pay enough attention. I don’t want our kids to feel like that, Derek. I don’t want them to be scared they’re going to lose me. Not when it’s something that’s so easy and simple to prevent. I don’t need curly fries, but I do need our kids to be happy and unafraid.”

Derek tilted Stiles’ face up and kissed him. It was times like this that his love for Stiles nearly overwhelmed him. He knew there were always several reasons for any serious decision Stiles made. The one he’d given was the most relevant, though, and that was what mattered. That Stiles took their children’s feelings so seriously. That he would give up something he truly enjoyed to make them feel more secure. Stiles was remarkable.

Stiles did have other reasons. He knew that by going with the plan that if he claimed something was going a bit too far, he would be listened to. He would be more likely to get rewards like being able to eat his favorites at certain times. If he had a random craving, there would probably be fewer serious objections.

Also, this was a wonderful chance for him and Derek to bond with their kids. Doing research on what was good and what was bad; experimenting with new recipes; making up physical games to play so that exercise was included, and card and board games to quiz them on what was and wasn’t nutritious and why. And if he played his cards right, he might be able to teach the twins to work together in the kitchen instead of arguing until the food was burned, or nurture Melanie’s growing interest in baking. He might be able to encourage Elena’s passion for learning and focus Greg’s vague interest in becoming a doctor that didn’t have to deal with blood in the direction of becoming a nutritionist. He might be able to find a way to combine Kevin’s imagination with Ian’s ridiculous energy so they had something that connected them. There could be family nights, Pack nights, weekends spent playing games, new traditions started, different comfort foods found. 

This whole venture would help so much if any of his kids married humans and ended up having human kids. The werewolf gene was dominant, but there was always still a chance. If they learned about this now, if they got into the habit now, it would be easier to keep their families healthy.

For that, Stiles could give up burgers and curly fries without a second thought.

-

Derek had already told Stiles that his dad was looking forward to teasing the hell out of him, so Stiles was prepared when the Sheriff came over the weekend after he and Derek had talked in the kitchen. He walked in while Stiles was making lunch.

“Hey, son,” John said.

“Dad,” Stiles said, walking over to give his dad a hug. When he pulled away, John was frowning at him.

“You okay, son? Seems like you’ve lost weight,” his dad said.

“What?” Stiles frowned. “I don’t think…” He realized his dad was smirking and he rolled his eyes. “Ha ha, very funny, Dad.”

John let his grin escape. “Oh, how the tables have turned,” he gloated.

Stiles shook his head as he returned to his food preparation. “You are so ready for me to be upset about this.”

“For you to get a taste of your own medicine? Yes, I am,” John said as he sat at the table.

“Except I’m not upset about it,” Stiles pointed out.

John laughed. “You’re not upset about giving up curly fries?” 

“Nope,” Stiles said calmly.

John frowned, then his expression cleared. “You’re already sneaking food? It hasn’t even been a month.”

Stiles laughed. “Dad, you don’t get to say that when you started sneaking food after three days. You didn’t even last a week, remember?”

“You said I couldn’t have bacon, you sadist,” John grumbled.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m clearly the root of all evil. And no, I haven’t started sneaking food. I’m really okay with it,” Stiles said, focusing more on the food he was making.

John studied his son. The more he looked, the more his eyebrows went up until it seemed like they were trying to reach his hairline.

“You’re really okay with this,” the Sheriff marveled, privately thinking that took a great deal of fun out of it. “They banned you from curly fries. How are you okay with this?”

“Because unlike you I actually care about my kids’ feelings and I don’t want them terrified that I’m going to drop dead of a heart attack,” Stiles scoffed.

John thought that Stiles might as well have punched him in the stomach. He couldn’t even make a sound. Stiles often spoke without really thinking. Most of the time it was prevarications and deflections. But sometimes, just sometimes, the unvarnished truth slipped out without him meaning it to.

John watched as his son noticed his sudden silence and glanced up at him. He didn’t know what expression was on his face, but it made Stiles do a double take. He could literally see Stiles mentally replaying his last words before his expression dawned with guilt and horror.

“Dad, that came out so wrong,” he said, dropping the knife on the cutting board and walking over. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

John held up a hand. He didn’t know if he could take Stiles trying to make him feel better after he’d implied that John dismissed his feelings.

“No,” Stiles tried again, desperate, “I seriously didn’t mean it like that. I know you care about me more than anything. I’ve never doubted that.”

John shook his head. That statement just made it worse. Perhaps it would be difficult for many to understand the difference between caring for a child and caring for a child’s feelings, but John understood the distinction Stiles had just made even if his son didn’t.

He did love Stiles more than anything, but he had also been downright dismissive about Stiles’ feelings. For years now.

And he continued to put those feelings aside even to this day. His guilt increased as he thought about the bacon he’d hidden just that morning in the deep freezer in the garage.

He knew how much Stiles loved curly fries. Had seen him wolf them down and savor them. Had been a part of the quest to find the best curly fries around town. Had seen Derek use them as a tool to cheer Stiles up when he was upset, forgive him after they’d had a fight, and as a bribe to get Stiles to “stay in your hospital bed, for the love of god.” He _knew_ how much Stiles loved curly fries. And he’d put them, among many other things, aside just so that his kids would have some peace of mind.

And John hadn’t done that. He hadn’t set Stiles’ mind at ease. If anything, he’d made him more paranoid.

He always refused to listen to Stiles’ dietary instructions or explanations about why this food was good or this food was bad. He’d snuck around and ate what he wanted and gloated when Stiles only found out after he’d gotten away with it. He’d decided that he was the adult and he was in charge and he wasn’t going to let his son decide what was best for him. He’d blocked his son out. Stiles had been worried, terrified, that he was going to lose the only parent he had left and John had been too prideful and willfully ignorant to see it.

“I think I’m going to head home,” John said.

“Dad,” Stiles begged. His eyes were wide and upset and John expected Derek to show up at any minute. He always seemed to know when Stiles was upset if they were in each other’s vicinity.

He stood and pulled Stiles into a hug. “I’m not upset, son,” he said gently. “I’m just going home.”

“Promise?” Stiles asked.

“I promise,” John said.

Derek appeared in the kitchen doorway as John was walking out. He nodded before heading over to Stiles, already asking what had happened. 

John didn’t hear what Stiles said. He was already walking out the door.

“Grandpa!”

He paused and steeled himself. If the kids thought there was something wrong, they would go straight to Stiles and ask why he had left so upset. And then Stiles would be worried and feel guilty when he had no reason to.

John turned, but it was just Elena standing there. However, she was already looking at him speculatively as if trying to figure out if there was something the matter with him.

“Hey, sweetheart. Is everything alright?” John asked. 

“Yes, I’m fine. You’re leaving already? You just got here,” she said.

“Yes, your dad made me think of something just now.” Vague responses were the best way to deal with werewolf questions. Everything was left up to interpretation so you weren’t technically lying. Sometimes, it was a close call though. 

“Oh, what did he remind you of?” Elena asked.

He smiled at her. “More of a realization than a reminder. Did you need to ask me something before I left?”

Elena narrowed her eyes at him to let him know she knew he was avoiding her question. “What’s wrong, Grandpa?”

“You’re just like your father,” he chuckled.

“And Dad’s just like you, so it’s really all your fault,” she replied . “Did Dad make you upset?”

“C’mere, Bunny.” He gestured her over. “You guys were worried about the food your dad ate, so you asked him to stop eating it right?”

“Yes,” she replied.

“And what did he do?”

She blinked up at him. “He told us he’d stop eating it as long as we all do it with him.” 

John nodded. “When your dad was the twins’ age, we went to the doctor’s and he told me that I needed to eat more healthy food or it could make me sick. So your dad asked me to eat more healthy food. Do you know what I did?”

She tilted her head and studied him. This whole conversation had to do with the healthy eating plan. They had all been concerned for dad, and apparently their dad had been concerned for their grandpa. Her first response would have been that grandpa listened to dad and the doctor. But he wouldn’t be upset now if that was the case, would he?

“You ignored them?” she asked.

John nodded. “I ignored them. Or tried to since your dad was stubborn and refused to let it go. He practically shoved healthy food down my throat.”

“Good,” Elena said, “If he hadn’t, you might not be alive now. You might have never met me.”

And for the second time in less than an hour, John felt like he’d been punched in the solar plexus. He might have never met his grandchildren.

“I’m sorry, Grandpa, I didn’t mean to make you sad,” Elena said, looking up at him with the exact same guilty expression Stiles had been wearing only a few minutes ago.

“It’s okay, Bunny. I’m just sad because you’re right. If your dad hadn’t managed to out-stubborn me, I might have never met you. And it would have been all my fault.”

“Is that what Daddy made you realize?” she asked.

“No. Your dad made me realize that I’ve been very mean to him. He didn’t let you all stay worried that he might get sick or even die. But I did let him stay worried. And I have for years.”

Elena stayed silent for a little while. Finally, she sighed and said, “That is mean.”

John couldn’t help but laugh because he guessed she’d been trying to think of a nicer way to agree with him. He nodded and sighed.

“Well, what are you doing to do about it?” Elena asked briskly.

John looked down at her. “What do you mean?”

“Daddy and Papa say everyone makes mistakes, and if it’s really bad, you can cry about it. But you always have to learn from it and do better. So how are you going to do better?” 

John got a bit misty-eyed. He’d blame it on old age and sheer pride at what a great dad his son had turned out to be.

“Well,” he said, matching her practical tone. “First, I’m going to go home and throw away all the junk food I’ve hidden away. Then I’m going to make an appointment with my doctor and actually listen to his recommendations about how to take care of myself. And I’m going to fully and enthusiastically participate in the Plan for Healthy Eating in the Stilinski-Hale Household.”

Elena was looking at him with an expectant expression on her face. He looked back at her because that seemed quite enough to start with. He wasn’t going to promise to go to the gym. He knew his limits.

“Papa says you should apologize when you hurt someone’s feelings,” she added. 

“And I’ll apologize to your dad,” John said softly.

“And make sure he knows you really mean it, because one time I apologized to Ian, and he laughed and said it was okay, but he was still sad, because he thought I didn’t mean it, so I had to apologize again,” Elena said.

John nodded and pulled her into a hug. “You’ve been very helpful, Bunny. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Grandpa,” Elena said. She kissed his cheek. “Go throw away your junk food and make your appointment. And then come back and apologize to Dad.”

“Yes, ma’am,” John laughed. After a final squeeze, he got in his cruiser and left.

In the kitchen, Derek was questioning Stiles. “What happened?” Derek asked concerned. “Why are you upset?”

Stiles stared after his father. He felt so bad. Of course he hadn’t meant to imply that his dad didn’t care about his feelings. He’d been a widower in charge of a hyper kid and he’d done what he could. Stiles knew he hadn’t always gotten what he wanted, but his father had always tried like hell to give him what he needed. 

Derek cupped Stiles’ cheek and gently turned his face so he would look at him.

“Stiles. What happened?”

“I said something mean to my dad by accident,” Stiles said.

“What did you say?” There wasn’t much Stiles could say to offend his father, especially not on accident.

Stiles sighed. “He was teasing me about the food ban and he asked why it didn’t bother me, and I said because unlike him I actually care about my kids’ feelings and I don’t want them worried I’m going to drop dead.”

Derek’s eyebrows shot up. “Stiles.”

“I know! But I didn’t mean it like that. I was distracted with the food and I just said it without thinking. If I was paying the slightest bit of attention, I wouldn’t have phrased it like that.”

Derek didn’t say anything. They both knew that the things Stiles said accidentally were usually the most honest. Especially if it slipped out because he was distracted, not because he was pissed off. Stiles whimpered and slumped against him, and Derek gathered him up and held him tightly.

“He looked so sad, Der. Like I’d broken his heart into a thousand pieces. I’m the worst son ever.” 

Derek pulled him impossibly close, running a hand down his back. “You’re not the worst son ever, Stiles. And your dad would never think that, no matter what you did or said to him or to anyone else. And maybe this is a good thing.”

Stiles pulled away from him and glared. “How could it possibly be a good thing that I ripped my dad’s heart out of his chest and stomped on it?”

Derek leaned down slightly and pressed a kiss to the tip of Stiles's adorable nose. No one would ever have to wonder where their kids got their dramatic dispositions from. “Because despite the fact that you could have said it in a more tactful manner, it really does hurt your feelings that your dad ignores your concerns about his eating habits. It makes you feel, in a very small way, but still, that your thoughts don’t matter to him. That you don’t matter to him. And now you two finally have a chance to talk about it.”

“Stilinski men don’t talk about their emotions, Derek,” Stiles huffed, “They avoid and let actions and the power of love smooth things over.”

Derek nodded. “And is that what you would like to teach our children?”

“We tell our kids to talk out their problems all the time,” Stiles retorted.

“You know as well as I do that children don’t listen. They copy,” Derek said.

Stiles slumped against him again. “Why the fuck are you such a good husband and father? Why do you make me fall in love with you even more every single day? My heart can’t take it.”

Derek pressed a kiss to Stiles’ temple. “The very least I can do is return the favor,” he said quietly.

Stiles jerked his head up and pressed a quick, hard kiss against Derek’s lips. “Goddamn, that was smooth,” he murmured against Derek’s mouth.

He wrapped his arms around Derek’s neck, nipping at his bottom lip. Derek lifted Stiles and set him on the counter, sliding between his legs in a way that Stiles heartily approved of. He trailed kisses and nips along the edge of Derek’s jaw as Derek’s warm hands slid under Stiles’ shirt.

“Argh! What are you _doing_?! We _eat_ off those counters! That is _unsanitary_!” Clary yelled. She was standing in the kitchen doorway with her hands over her eyes. 

Derek removed his hands from underneath Stiles'’s clothes as Stiles pulled his mouth away from Derek’s neck. Derek stepped away and Stiles hopped off the counter, but immediately curled back into Derek’s side.

“First of all, you’re not supposed to eat off the counter. You’re supposed to eat off a plate at the table like a civilized person. Second of all, you interrupted us before we could really get to anything that would be considered unsanitary,” Stiles said.

Clary looked horrified, and Derek smirked because embarrassing and shocking their children was one of Stiles’ pleasures in life.

“I don’t know why I’m being traumatized like this. I just came to find out why Grandpa left so fast,” Clary said. “Did he come over just to ask you about a case?”

Stiles’ grin faded. Derek opened his mouth to respond, but he was beaten to it.

“I asked him outside,” Elena said from behind Clary. “He said Dad made him think of something and he had to go take care of it. I think he’s coming back tomorrow.”

“He said he’s coming back?” Stiles asked. Both his daughters gave him weird looks.

“Yeah,” Elena said.

“Alright, I guess I’ll see him tomorrow,” Clary shrugged. “Need help with lunch, Dad?”

“Are you asking because you’re tired of working on your essay?” Stiles asked.

“ _Yes_ ,” Clary said.

Stiles laughed and gestured her over. “C’mon, I’ll help you procrastinate.”

“No, you won’t,” Clary rolled her eyes, “You’ll just make me talk it out with you while we cook.”

“You know your father well, child,” Stiles said solemnly. Clary’s eyebrows twitched in the same way Derek’s did when he was amused but trying to keep a straight face.

Stiles pressed a short kiss to the corner of Derek’s mouth and moved to the stove. Clary brushed past him as she followed. Derek turned his attention to Elena.

“I’m going for a walk. Wanna come with?” he asked. She nodded enthusiastically and followed him to the door.

“Love you, husband and daughter-mine!” Stiles called.

“Love you, too!” they called back.

-

The next day, Stiles was in the living room cuddling with Derek and watching TV. Derek was reading and running his fingers through Stiles’ hair. He could hear Clary helping Addie with her essay in the kitchen. Kevin and Melanie were on the floor near the windows working on a puzzle. Greg and Ian were in the basement playing video games. He shifted slightly so he could see the stairs, and yep, Elena was sitting there reading a book. It was just another lazy Sunday.

“I can hear your dad’s cruiser,” Derek murmured.

Stiles tensed, but forced himself to relax again. Elena hadn’t said anything about his dad seeming upset when she’d talked to him. And he was coming for a visit, so hopefully he wasn’t too bothered by what Stiles had said the day before. If he seemed even the slightest bit sad, Stiles would apologize a million times until his dad knew he hadn’t meant it.

Kevin jumped up and ran to the door when he heard the cruiser, Melanie quickly following.

“Grandpa!”

“Hey, kiddos,” John said. He generously handed out kisses and hugs to everyone that ran up to him. When greetings were finished, he walked directly to the couch where Stiles was still draped over Derek.

“Hey, Dad,” Stiles said, unaware of the way he was nervously twisting his fingers in Derek’s shirt.

“We need to talk, kid,” John said.

“Oh my god, are you breaking up with me?” Stiles asked, looking up at his dad with wide eyes.

John smiled, despite himself, but quickly rearranged his expression to be more serious again. “Stiles.”

“Oh, shit, okay,” he said, standing up. Derek grabbed his hand and pressed a kiss to his palm. Stiles sent him a smile and led his father to the office. It was the only room in the house that was soundproof. Stiles had a lot of good memories that were made in this room. He debated telling his dad that he might not want to sit in the chair he’d chosen, but decided against it. Horrifying the kids was fun, but his dad knew how to get back at him.

“I want to talk about what you said when I was here yesterday,” John said.

Stiles sat like his strings had been cut. “Dad, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it came out and I…”

John held up a hand. He knew Stiles could go on forever.

“You were right,” he said. Stiles gaped at him.

“I was… You… _What_?”

“You were right. You’ve made it very clear that my eating habits and my disregard of my health upset you. And I’ve been ignoring and dismissing your feelings in a way that was both callous and unfair. I’m sorry, Stiles. I love you, and I’m sorry that I’ve been making you so unhappy for so long. I’m so very sorry.

“I’m going to do better. I’ll implement the eating plan you and the kids come up with, and I’ve got a doctor’s appointment on Wednesday to have a discussion about what I can do to improve my health. I want to be around for a long, long time.”

Stiles was still staring at him, but his lips were pressed together like he was trying to keep them from trembling and his eyes were filling with tears.

“Dad,” he finally said, in a raw tone that had John up and out of his seat in an instant. He pulled Stiles off the couch and into a hug. Stiles clung to him.

“I’ve been so scared,” Stiles choked out. “I don’t want to lose you.”

He was shaking. John’s eyes closed as the realization of how terrified his son had been washed over him. He cursed his own stubbornness and pride. “I know, son. I’m sorry I made you worry. But it’ll be better now. I’ll be better now.”

“You’re already the best. That’s why I don’t want to lose you,” Stiles sniffled. 

“Even the best can be wrong sometimes,” John said, “I’ve ignored that for too long, and I’m not going to anymore. I promise.” He pulled back and started to gently wipe away, Stiles’ tears.

Stiles huffed, but let his dad comfort him the same way he had when Stiles was a child. The same way he hoped his kids would let him comfort them when they were Stiles’ age.

“I love you, Dad.”

“I love you, too, son.” John clapped a hand on Stiles’ shoulder. “Now. Let’s talk about how to make vegetables taste good.”

Stiles threw his head back and laughed.

-

Yoga was one of the changes the twins wanted to implement. Stiles was all for it. He wouldn’t mind becoming more flexible. It was always nice trying new positions with his sexy, sexy husband. And he knew he had the right idea when he walked into his bedroom to see Derek practicing downward dog.

“Goddamn, you could bounce a quarter off that ass.”

“Stiles.”

“Do he got da booty? He damn well do!”

“Stiles,” Derek repeated, standing, “Stop ogling my ass.”

“Never,” Stiles said. “Actually I wanted to ask you, wanna do it Lady and the Tramp style?”

Derek frowned quizzically. “What? You mean the spaghetti thing?”

“Nope,” Stiles replied, still leering at him.

Derek blinked at him, then his eyes widened and his ears turned bright red. “Stiles,” he hissed. “Do not do this to me. I do not want to be thinking about this while I’m doing yoga with our daughters.”

Stiles chuckled and slid his arms around Derek’s neck. “I’ll stop teasing you, husband-mine.” He pressed a kiss to Derek’s cheek. Derek pulled him closer, and they stood there embracing.

“When are you doing yoga with Ada-Rissa?” Stiles asked softly.

“After homework, before dinner,” Derek said.

“Okay, I’ll have Greg and Melanie with me in the kitchen today,” Stiles said. “Kevin said he wants to record and take pictures for some project he’s working on.”

“School or personal?” Derek asked.

“He was vague, so I’m assuming personal. You know he doesn’t like the art teacher he has right now so he always complains about his prompts,” Stiles said.

Derek hummed and pulled Stiles closer, breathing in his scent. “Is Ian hanging out with Al at Erica’s again?”

“Yeah, he and Al have some type of history paper and they’re using each other for motivation. But he said he’d be here for dinner,” Stiles said.

“Just him or is he bringing Al?” Derek asked.

“Hm, I don’t know,” Stiles answered, “I’ll text him before we start cooking.”

“Your dad’s doctor’s appointment was today, right? You could invite him over to find out how it went,” Derek suggested.

“What a wonderful idea, husband-mine. I’ll text him too,” Stiles replied. He ran a hand up and down Derek’s spine. Somehow this was calming even though he wasn’t particularly stressed. He loved just being with Derek. It soothed him in a way nothing else did.

“Kids are coming,” Derek said. Stiles pressed closer to the rumble of his chest.

“Let them come,” Stiles said.

“I can’t even say you didn’t make so many Disney references before we were parents,” Derek chuckled.

That night the house was crowded. Somehow a text had made the rounds.

_Dinner at the Pack house. Bring something healthy._

There were too many cars in the clearing in front of the house. It was loud inside with laughter and chatter and kids running all over the place. Stiles had already talked to his dad. The doctor’s appointment had gone well. 

Derek and Stiles were in the kitchen, picking at Allison’s vegetable alfredo, trying to recreate the scene from Lady and the Tramp.

“Focus, no flirting!” Isaac called from the living room. “Get out here and tell us about the plan for healthy eating.”

“Our Pack awaits, husband-mine,” Stiles smirked.

“They can wait a little while longer,” Derek said, pulling him close and kissing him deeply.

The Pack learned about the Plan for Healthy Eating in the Stilinski-Hale Household. Eventually.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trying to keep a running tab, so this is the sixth and second-longest fic that I've posted on here. Kudos! Comments! Check out my other stories! Pretty please with Sterek sprinkles on top. And feel free to come hang with me at my [main blog](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/bibliophile246) or at my [side blog](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/imsohysterekal). Much love. -xoxo, inhystereks


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